Two male mandrills were released into an enclosure for public display at the Nehru Zoological Park on March 26, marking the addition of a new species to the zoo’s collection.
The mandrills, siblings aged about 23 months, were brought under an animal exchange programme with Jamshedpur Zoo. In exchange, the Hyderabad zoo provided a pair of African lions. Officials said the animals had arrived last month and were kept in quarantine for 45 days before being released into the primate park enclosure.
The release took place in the presence of Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden Vinay Kumar, and zoo officials.
Authorities said the zoo currently houses 196 species with over 2,100 individual animals. The addition of mandrills is expected to draw more visitors during the summer season, officials added.